Future for Ulster GAA seems uncertain in these times: Mcavoy
TWO Sundays ago, Ulster Council CEO Brian Mcavoy found himself watching a re-run of the Armagh-dublin All-ireland semi-final of 2002 and, as good as it was, it wasn’t the real thing. The man at the head of the chain of command in Ulster pines for a return to play just as keenly as anyone else.
“And what a weekend this would have been, this one,” he states, referring to last weekend when Derry were due to host Armagh on Saturday evening, before attention was turned to Ballybofey on Sunday with another humdinger between Donegal and Tyrone.
“But, it wasn’t to be and hopefully at some point in the year we will be able to have those games. As to what they might look like and when they might take place, who knows. We can only hope,” says Mcavoy, who expanded on the latest thinking on the coronavirus pandemic and the GAA continuing in lockdown.
“I suppose one of the issues we are talking about is how do you have contact sports with social distancing? Those are some of the issues we are addressing as to what we might have to put in place.
“I think the key issue is that both Governments (Stormont and Dublin) have said there is a place for games, they have it in their ‘Step Four’ and ‘Step Five’, so maybe they might have some ideas as to how it might look like.”
Some long term projections on social distancing suggest it could be with us for some years. However, as the R number continues to be pushed down, that does not automatically equate to a longterm ban on Gaelic games activities, Mcavoy believes.
“We heard recently from Dr Mike Ryan, from Sligo originally, he is basically leading the WHO response to Covid-19 and he was saying we are going to have to just adapt to this. It is going to be around and even if we have a vaccine, it is still going to be around.
“And he made the comparison with measles, where there is a vaccine for measles. People still get it.
“And that’s working on the basis we get a vaccine. The process is relative to SARS and after 18 years we still don’t have a vaccine for SARS.
“Ok, it may exist in a different form and people may build antibodies against it, but unfortunately it looks like another disease that is going to be around and wehavetocopewithitas best we can.”
The Ulster Council have been forced to furlough staff and there have been wage cuts. At a very basic level, the very thing they are all there for and powered by is closed up and this has been a traumatic and stressful time for all involved.
“Our corporate partners have stayed loyal. But some of the funding we would get is dependent on us delivering certain things for them. And obviously while we have no games, we cannot deliver those,” Mcavoy explained.
“That’s the reality. In effect, from a Provincial Council point of view, we have three main events; the Dr Mckenna Cup, the Ulster Championship and the Ulster Club Championship.
“And of course we would get some of the television money as well which is filtered down to all the units, depending on the Championship, Ulster and National Championships in football and hurling.
“When you don’t have any competitions, then you lose those three main sources of revenue.”
In his feedback from county and club delegates, a pattern emerges for the Down man.
Mixed messaging from the Irish Government that deviates to GAA policy has created a bit of tension. High-profile columnists have railed against the closing of GAA properties. It has created an impatience among some members.
“People say they would just like to know when they can get back. You have other people saying it is not safe to go back, we can’t go back to whenever, or until there is a vaccine discovered. You have all sorts of things blending into the mix.
“At a very basic level, we have seen guidance from the Irish Government which has said there could be a return to GAA activity in whatever form it is in ‘Step Four’, whereas in ‘Step Five’ of a return published by the Stormont Executive this week, that’s when it appeared.
“So those are all wee issues. But the bigger issue is, ‘what exactly does it mean?’ How can Burren or Down or whoever it is, get back on the football or hurling field and how does that look with social distancing?”
And the answer to that is that nobody knows.
For now.